Air conditioning apparatus



Aug. 29, 1939. c. a. GRAY AIR CQNDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gf/006A I BY moa/www Win13 ATTORNEY 5.

Aug.29, 1939. C, B, GRADY 2,170,991

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 15, 195s v s sheets-sheet 2 Aug. 29, 1939. c. B. @muy AIR CONDITIONING APARATUS s sheetssneet s Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT Vol-Flcla 6 Claims.

This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus, adapted for the treatment of air in one or more of the following respects, namely cleaning or filtering it, modifying its temperature lor cooling it, and controlling its moisture or humidifying it and medicating it. The apparatus is useful for example 'for the conditioning of air in dwelling or other rooms, including automobile or trailer interiors. As specifically herein shown the apparatus is especially of utility in summer to cool and clean, and to humidify or dehumldify the air of closed cars or rooms, such as sleeping rooms occupied for example by persons subject to hay fever, pollen asthma and similar afilictions. -The great value of this treatment and apparatus for such patients is that while indoors, especially `through each night, and while motoring over long distances, extensive recovery from the trouble may be effected and the resistance built up to such high point that a. reasonable amount of daily outdoor exposure to the pollen and other conditions, and even strenuous exercise and exertion, may be had without trouble. 'I'he apparatus however is universal in its adaptation to advantageous use in winter by changes in operation and control.

I have already shown gas treating or air conditioning apparatuses in several patents and copending applications, namely,. Patents No. 2,004,108 of June 11, 1935, and No. 2,013,270 of September 3, 1935, and applications, Serial Nos. 713,086 filed February 27, 1934 Patd Dec. 1, 1936, No. 2,062,412 and 732,958 filed June 29, 1934, Patd Dec. 1, 1936, No. 2,062,413, to which reference may be had for various details not herein fully disclosed; and the present invention may be considered as an improvement on the apparatuses of said prior patents and applications.

For the purposes thus outlined the objects of the present invention are to alford a practical, compact, quiet and relatively inexpensivel apparatus adapted for use in automobiles, dwellings and elsewhere for the conditioning of air in closed rooms or spaces in an eilcient and economical manner. Another object is to render the system convenient in operation and regulation and readily adaptable to use in winter or summer. A further object is to enhance safety as against escape of refrigerant into the conditioned air; and another object to render the system usable for a closed automobile, and operable from its power plant, and to afford safety to the occupants from refrigerant or CO gases. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be explained in the hereinafter following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention or will be apparent to those conversant with the subject.

To the attainment of such objects and advantages the presentinventlon consists in the novel air conditioning apparatus and the novel features 5 of combination, arrangementv and construction herein described or illustrated.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation view, partly broken away, looking toward the right hand side of an automobile 10 containing apparatus for conditioning the air contained in the interior room or space, embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial rear elevation of the same on a larger scale and'broken away to show interior l5 construction.

Fig. 3 is a partial right elevation in section taken substantially on the section line 3 3 of Figs. 2 or 5.

Fig. 4 is a left elevation in section taken sub- 20 stantially on the line 4-4 of Figs. 2 or 5.

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan view broken away to show the interior construction.

Fig. 6, in right elevation and section, shows a detail of Fig. 3 on larger scale.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation adjacent elements.

g Fig. 8 shows a modied apparatus in top view,

partially in section on the line 8- 8 of Fig. 9, wherein the principles of the invention are ap- 30 plied to the conditioning of air in a room of a building.

Fig. 9 is an exterior elevation view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a right hand elevation in section of 35 the same apparatus taken substantially on the line lll-l0 of Fig. 9..

Fig. 11 is a detail interior elevation view of certain regulating and adjacent devices of Figs.

a to 10. 4o

Referring rst to the automobile. embodiment shown in Figs. I to 7, it is to be understood that the principlesv illustrated are applicableto other types of vehicles, or even to stationary enclosures or rooms. The automobile body I5 is shown as 45 provided with a built-in rear trunk or extension I6, exterior to the body and having compartments for general purposes and others for the elements of the present invention. At the front is conventionally indicated the usual engine I1, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 .the engine shaft carries the usual pulley I8 with the belt I9 driving the pulley 20 of. the fan 2| used for engine cooling purposes. 'I'he belt I9 is shown also as 55 of the engine and extending around the pulley 22 of a generator 23, serving ignition purposes.

As a convenient source of temperature modifying or cooling for the purposes of the present lnvention the belt |9 is shown extending also around the pulley 24 of a compressor or gas pump 25, with a clutch or coupling 26 for throwing the compressor into and out of action. As will appear further the compressor 25 is one of the elements of a refrigerating system, driven by the automobile' engine, a refrigerant medium, as sulfur dioxide, being supplied to the compressor through a pipe or passage 28, compressed therein, and delivered through a pipe 29.

With the specific arrangement shown in Figs. 1-7 a compact and serviceable conditioning service is afforded, the compression refrigerating system being illustrated, and the compressor thereof being located at the forward part of the car, and operated by the engine as described. For convenience the remaining elements of the refrigerating system may first be traced and identied, before describing the means of handling and treating the air. Thus the pipe 29 from the compressor 25 extends rearwardly to a condenser or air cooled coil 3|, which however might be located adjacent the car radiator and fan. The pipes 28 and 29 may be flexible copper tubes and disposed in any convenient manner between the compressor and the elements of the rear of the car, a particular arrangement being indicated in a diagrammatic way on Fig. 1. The condenser 3| is shown in the form of a radiator, with successive horizontal pipes trending preferably downwardly through an air circulation chamber 36. Beyond the cooler or radiator 3| the refrigerating passage extends first to a. check valve 32, at the left side, preventing possible back ow.

From the check valve the passage next extends to an expansion valve 33, representing any device through which the refrigerating medium fiows from ra condition of high pressure to a condition of low pressure, the medium. usually liquidifying within the condenser' and Vaporizing beyond the expansion valve. From the expansion valve the refrigerating passage extends through a system of cooling coils 36 immersed by either partial'or complete submergence in a heat transmitting fluid, preferably water, as will be further described. The cooling coils trend from the left to the right hand side of the car and thence deliver into the return pipe 28 through which the warmed vapor is conducted back to the compressor 25. The coils 34 are not complete convolutions but are preferably of U- shape in end View as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, but the last portions 35 of these coils are merely horizontal, being below the compartment 4|.

The cooling of the radiator or condenser piping 3| is shown as effected in a narrow vertical air chamber 36 enclosing the radiator, to the rear of the trunk, as best seen-in Figs. 3 to 5. The left end of the condenser compartment-36 has an air inlet 31 provided with louvers, while near the right end of the compartment is an electrically driven fan 36 propelling the air outwardly through a rear exit, thus maintaining a forced air circulation to cool the pipes 3| and condense the refrigerant therein, although natural draft in some cases might be sufllcient.

Referring' next to the general elements, the trunk I6 is shown mounted flxedly at the rear of the car and as having an openable cover 39 below which is an empty compartment 66 for general use, the accommodation of tools, personal4 belongings, etc. In the lower right part of the i trunk is shown a smaller compartment 4| arfalse bottom 43 and at the sides false left and l right walls v44 and 45, all of which are shown as protected by suitable insulating material, which also may be placed elsewhere as desired. At the bottom portion of the trunk, for its full width, is shown a water compartment or tank 46 substantially filled with water 41 that constitutes a heat transmitting means between the expansion or cooling coils 34 and the air duct 56 to be described. A non-freezing liquid may be used, as water mixed with suitable agents, oil etc.

Referring next to the handling of the air, this consists principally of a recirculation of air from the room within the carbody but supplemented to a minor but progressive extent by the introduction of fresh quantities of .outside air. From the inside space of the car is shown an air outlet 56 at the upper right rear4 corner, this being bent downwardly as a downtake 5| which leads to a vertical port 52 between the car .body and trunk. The port 52 conducts the outgoing air into a chamber 53 containing an electrically driven fan 54 by which pressure and circulation are maintained. The fan chamber 53 may be insulated as shown. From the fan chamber extends air downtake 55, located at the left side of the cooling compartment 4|. The downtake 55 delivers into an immersed air duct 56 either fully or partly submerged in and extending, preferably horizontally, through the cooled water 41 in the tank 46. The air duct is closed and the air to be treated is thus kept from contact with the water and wholly isolated from the refrigerating system. The heat in the air is readily taken up by the duct walls and passes into the body of water 41 and from thence is absorbed by the refrigerating agent in the coils 34. On account of probable condensation in the air duct 56 it isshown as provided with a small downtake 51 controlled by a drip cock 58, for continuous or periodic discharge'of condensate.

From the left end of the immersed air duct 56 is an uptake air passage 59 which is shown thoroughly insulated, and this uptake leads to a port 66 between the trunk and body of the vehiclem Within the body is a continued uptake 6| leading to an air inlet 62 discharging preferably in a forward direction at the upper left rear corner of the enclosed space. 'I'hus conditioned air is continuously supplied to the occupants, the air moving with gentle circulation through the space and the stale air` being drawn out at the opposite corner for recirculation and recondi-4 tioning.

In order to supply a fractional proportion of fresh air there is shown, 'behind the air inlet 62 which leads into the car, an exterior fresh air intake 65 wherein is interposed a lter 66 of brous or other material, excluding pollen and other undesirable solids or gases. To maintain the desired inow an electrically driven fan 61is shown infront of the filter 66, sucking in the air and discharging it directly into the inlet pipe 62; or the inlet 62 and fan may deliver instead into the air outlet, for conditioning before reaching the car space. By the use of inlet 62 and fan a slight excess of pressure is maintained within the enclosed space. The result is that adjacent the is a water pipe leading to waste.

doors, windshield and door there will bea `constant slight outflow through any cracks or crevices. This gradually dlsposes of excess stale air but additlonaliy'performs the function of preventing the intake of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide whichit is known frequently enters the car space through the bottom boards and otherwise.

Air lters may be located elsewhere, as at 69,`

near the fan chamber 53, for cleansing recirculated air and these filters may be kept moist or specially treated to remove or neutralize injurious elements as carbon monoxide.- Also the circulating air maybe treated by medication or given an aroma, as by introducing an agent, as pine needle oil, into th'e air duct or passages or at the filters.

Figs. 8 to 11 show the .principles of this invention applied to the conditioning 'of air in a room or space within a stationary structure or building, The apparatus may care for several rooms, only one being shown. The room is bounded by walls 19, and exterior of the building is shown a box or trunk 1| containing much of the apparatus hereof. Pipes 13 Amay carry refrigerant or other cooling fluid to and from the apparatus, the source of cold water or fluid being omitted in this embodiment. The cooling or expansion coils'14 are shown as of U-shape, and these, and alternative heating coils 15, are shown immersed in an exterior tank 16.containing Water 11. Air to be conditioned passes from the room by air outlet 89 leading into a fan chamber 8| containing an electrically driven 'fan 82.. Descending from the fan chamber the air passes into the right end of the submerged horizontal air duct 84, and at the far'or left end of the air duct is shown a horizontal air outtake 85 or duct leading to an uptake 86 extended vertically through the wall 10. This uptake delivers, through an inlet 81, the conditioned air to a high point in the room; but may be arranged to deliver warm air lower down for winter use. l

The water connections may be as follows. An upper water outlet pipe 9| is shown extending from the top side of the water tank 16 and leading to waste, in case of overflow or expansion of water in the tank. From the lower part of the tank extends a water drain pipe 93 controlled by a cock 94. Between the pipes 9| and 93 is shown a gage glass 95 by which the depth of water in the tank may be observed, and beyond the valve 94 By adjusting the water depth, causing greater or less immersion of the air duct, the cooling effect upon the circulating air is regulable. When the entire duct is submerged and surrounded by the cold water the air receives much greater temperature drop than when thewater level is below the top level of'the duct. 'I'he gage glass, and the valve 94 therefore give a means of regulation, taken with water supply valve to be described. The water is a transfer medium between the coils 14 or 15 and the air duct and the depth of the liquid gives control of the rate of heat transfer.

As Water may accumulate by condensation or otherwise in the air duct 84 there is shown a small drain pipe 91 leading from the lower part thereof, its inlet slightly above the bottom of the duct so as to maintain a small depth of water for humidifying the air, which plan may also be used on the automobile. The drain pipe .91 is shown leading to the waste pipe 96, with a loop constituting a seal protecting the air duct. For the purpose of supplying water to tank 16,

and thereby in cooperation with the outlet cock 94 controlling the depth of water in lthe tank, and therefore the cooling or heating effect upon the air, there is shown a relatively small water supply pipe 99 leading from a main directly into the tank, the same controlled by a cock I 00. This and the other controlling elements are placed on an interior panel as seen in face view in Fig. 1l. By opening the` cock |00 the water level in the tank may be raised. By closing it and opening the cock 94/ the water level may be lowered.

In order to supply water to the air duct for humidifying-purposes there is shown a supplemental water pipe1|9| leading from pipe 99 directl'y into the air duct and controlled by a needle valve |02 which should be set to allow a slow supply r drip of water intothe duct.

The operation of the invention has been indicated, but may be more-fully described as follows.

contact with the transmitting water and thus safely removed from the refrigerating means. Fresh air is progressively and gradually drawn into the space, through a filter, causing a positive interior pressure and thus causing exclusion of gases at other points. v At all seasons the recirculated air and the additional air are cleaned and may be medicated. In hot weather the recirculated air is cooled as described and by reason of the lowering temperature is dehumidifed. Condensate in the air duct is drained away to keep dry the duct. The cooling and dehumidifying operations are regulable by varying the depth of immersion of the air duct, by observation, or automatically by thermostat or humidistat control. In cold weather the water may be used for transmitting heat to the recirculated air, by the coils 15 as described in connection with Figs. 8 to 10 and the air may be humidied by maintaining. a. small quantity of water in the air duct, by the valve |82, its depth restricted by the drain pipe 91. As in hot weather the 4air temperature is controllable by adjusting the depth oi' liquid in the tank. The control con-v nections for temperature and humidity regulation are all accessible on the interior panel as shown in Figs. 8, 10 and 11.

Two illustrative embodiments have thus been shown by way of explanation of the principles hereof, but since various matters of combination, arrangement and, construction may be modified within the scope of the invention it is not intended to limit the invention to such matters except so far as set forth in the appended claims.

air inlet for admitting outdoor air directly to 15 said space, with an air iiltering device interposed in said separate inlet and a means or fan for drawing air in 'by said inlet to freshen the air in said space and create a slight excess inside pressure. Y

2. A passenger automobile tted with the air recirculating means, liquid cooling means and separate air inlet means of claim 1.

3. A passenger automobile fitted with the air recirculating means, liquid cooling means and separate air inlet means of claim 1, the liquid cooling means comprising a compression refrigerating plant driven mechanically from the engine of the vehicle.

4. Apparatus for air-conditioning an enclosed space comprising a tank isolated from the space and holding a body of heat-transferring liquid, a closed, substantially horizontal immersed air duct extending through said tank and above its bottom, air passages from the space to the duct and from the duct back to the space, with means forcing air circulation therethrough, and means for maintaining the tank liquid at a different temperature from or cooler than the air to be conditioned; the liquid-temperature-maintaining means comprising an elongated pipe arranged in U-shape through the tank with the air duct occupying the space within the U-shape.

5. Apparatus for air-conditioning an enclosed space comprising a tank isolated from the space and holding a body of heat-transferring liquid,

a. closed. substantially horizontal immersed air duct extending in a single substantially straight pass through said tank and above its bottom, air

passages from the space to the duct and from the duct back to the space, with means forcing air circulation therethrough, and means for maintaining the tank liquid at a diierent temperature from or cooler than the air to be conditioned; the liquid-temperature-maintaining means comprising an elongated pipe arranged through the tank between the inner surface of the tank and outer surface of the duct in a configuration concave toward the air duct and with the air duct occupying the space within said conguration.

6. Apparatus for air-conditioning the enclosed space within a passenger automobile body, comprising a tank isolated from the space and holding a body of heat-transferring liquid, a closed and substantially horizontal air duct extending through said tank, said body having corner air inlet and outlet atthe upper rear sides, and re.- circulation passages between the space and duct, comprising a downtake air passage from said outlet to the duct and an uptake air passage .from the duct to said inlet, with means forcing air circulation therethrough, and means for maintaining liquid in the tank at a diierent temperature from or cooler than the air to be conditioned.

CHARLES B. GRADY. 

